A 1971 California Coming-of-Age Mystery

Eden Lewis knows two things for certain: family’s a whole mess of trouble, and someone in the sleepy beach town is out for revenge.

For most fourteen-year-olds, California summers in the early 1970s mean sun and surf, despite the Cold War chill. Not for Eden. Her AWOL father has sent her life into a tailspin, crashing her in a shabby seaside bungalow. Now she’s stuck caring for her severely disabled brother, Dex.

Caught in her parents’ own cold war, Eden ditches Dex at every chance—pier fishing with Hollis, playing poker with the grizzled card sharks, and caterwaulin’ in the church choir. Never mind she’s not on speaking terms with the Almighty.

Then Raven arrives, an elusive Soviet girl whispered to be behind a rash of petty crimes. When the mischief escalates to bloodshed on the beach, rumors point to the “commie,” giving Eden a mystery to crack and a jailbreak from her duties—until suspicious eyes fall on her.

Desperate to prove herself innocent, Eden embarks on a reckless game of chase—one that draws danger to her doorstep, where uncovering the truth means betting Dex’s life.

Will she go all in, no matter the cost?

Winner of the 2025 IAN Book of the Year Award (Cross Genre) and the 2026 Illumination Gold Medal, Turning Toward Eden is perfect for readers who love retro coming-of-age novels with a strong sense of place. Critics call it “beautiful, lyrical” and “a page-turning story that is bound to become a classic.”